Elina, Mistress of Laukko is a Finnish-American novel of three parallel stories. The first is of the title character, Elina, about whom Lily, the protagonist, is writing. Elina's story, based on an old Finnish ballad, tells of a country-bred young girl who marries a wealthy, jealous nobleman. The second story is of Lily's grandmother, who loses her abusive husband in a barn fire and then is ostracized by her neighbors, who hold her responsible. Lily's own story echoes the other two through her relationships with dominating, controlling men. Love and hate, jealousy and revenge combine to shape the destinies of all three women.